PVC's and sudden death

[Sinchi]

Hi,

I want to know if there is some relation between pvc's, sudden death, and early repolarization. I was diagnosed with pvc's (not frequent like 200 in 24 hours), and early repolarization, can I exercise normally with this conditions? Thx in advance. Regards.

Sinchi

PS:My ekg,echo doppler and holter are normal, what is my risk of sudden death?

[Cleveland Clinic]

Infrequent PVCs are not a risk factor for sudden cardiac death unless you have a cardiomyopathy ( that is a depressed ejection fraction or heart squeeze). If you don't they portend no knwon risk for sudden cardiac death, and are not an indication for either an ICD or PVC ablation. The latter can sometimes be performed at tertiary referral facilities such as ours if the PVC is very stereotypical and the patient very symptomatic, but this procedure is not without significant risk.

[marlinspike]

I can't find the site to post, but i am pretty sure that a large study was done which showed no correlation between those with benign pvc's/pac's and early death. ie. your risk of sudden death is the same as anyone elses (veryy low). 200 in 24 hours is not that many when you consider that your heart beats 100,000 times a day. I get a lot more when I am having a bout of them, eg 3 or 4 a minute for hours on end. I am not sure where early repolarisation fits in.

I can imagine that you are feeling like I felt when I was first diagnosed - panic attacks, living in a state of constant anxiety, afraid to sleep because I thought I would die in the night, expecting to drop dead any minute. Four years on and I am fine - still got the missed beats, but trying to overcome the anxiety they cause.

Until the doctor comes along to give you some expert advice, I hope you will be reassured by a response I read from a cardiologist to a woman who was having 4,000 pvc's day:

"PVC's, no matter how frequent, are normal cardiac activity and no threat to life or health.  They do not in the future lead to heart disease, cardiomyopathy, sudden death or any catastrophe in someone with a normal echo."

I hope this helps, I know how terrifying these things can be. Best wishes.

[bernd001]

Hi Sinchi,

I doubt that you are at risk for SCD.  200 PVCs in 24 hours isn't really that bad and 2nd, as long as you haven't had a lot of couplets or short VT runs then I doubt that you will suddenly have a sustained VT run that blows you away.

Just my opinion - I would be happy if I would only have to deal with the problems that you have.  There are many medications available to keep PVCs a little bit under control.

Cheers

Bernd